


Temporary Love

by TheFirstMrsHummel



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Inspired by Ben Platt's Temporary Love, M/M, Post-Meet the Parents, S5 E11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-12-27 02:36:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18295139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFirstMrsHummel/pseuds/TheFirstMrsHummel
Summary: Just a short bit of smooshy fluff with feelings, inspired by Ben Platt’s song Temporary Love. Buy it and drown in the David/Patrick OTP feels, y’all. Actually, buy the whole album (Sing To Me Instead) because it’s brilliant.





	Temporary Love

It took a long time for David to tell Patrick that he loved him. It was well past the time he’d realized it himself, at the store’s Open Mic night when Patrick laid himself bare with a song, and David had drunk it in like water after wandering the desert for days. But then Rachel had come, destroying his hope that this time things would be different.

He’d still loved Patrick – he knew from experience that trying to turn off the love switch overnight was impossible for someone who wanted to be loved as much as him. Patrick had come to live in his heart in a way that couldn’t be easily cast aside.

David just wished that Patrick wasn’t just another trip around the block with temporary love. So even when they got back together, it took a while for David to be able to say the words. _I love you_. He said them after his talk with Ted, where he tried to convince them both that _sometimes it works out,_ even for people who had been so badly burned. It was beyond anything he’d said to anyone he’d dated before, so that had to count for something, right?

David wanted to believe one hundred percent that what he and Patrick had was not just good for the immediate future, but well beyond that. Forever. Permanent. It wasn’t anything that David had ever thought he could have, but he wanted it with every fiber of his soul. He wanted the two of them growing old together in the store they’d built from the ground up, more that he’d ever wanted anything in his life.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to him that it wasn’t a single, grand gesture that convinced him that he and Patrick were it for each other.

It took log walks 30 feet in the air while he struggled with his fear of heights, but ultimately it was worth it to land safely in Patrick’s arms.

It took thinking that Patrick wanted to move in together, and even though it wasn’t in the cards at that time, Patrick had been awed that David had been ready to do so.

It took a weekend of being away from Patrick to help Stevie hook up with Emir, enjoying the karaoke but even more the affectionate, teasing phone sex once he was alone in his room.

It took a party where Patrick admitted he didn’t like the thought of another person’s lips on David’s. Sending Patrick off with another man, only to have him return and say that David was the only one he wanted and needed. It took bathrooms and baseball, and the love shining in Patrick’s eyes when he looked at David for the first time after coming out to his parents.

That last one though. It was the moment that David knew the truth, that this was not a temporary love.

“You’ve given me everything,” Patrick said as their bodies settled and cooled, sheets shoved to the bottom of the bed during their frantic coupling after the party. “Everything I could ever want. I can finally be myself in every single nook and cranny of my life, without fear or shame.” His voice hitched. “I’ve been afraid for so long, David.”

“I know you have. I know that now.” He kissed Patrick thoroughly. “No matter how messy it was, I’m glad I was able to help you with that. It was about time I returned the favor.”

“What do you mean?”

“I ran all over the world, experiencing only the best that money could buy, with the most famous and beautiful people on Earth. It didn’t matter where I went or who I was with though, because while I had fun, I wasn’t happy. Now that I know what true happiness is, I can’t believe I ever settled for such a pale, shallow imitation.”

“Oh, David.” Patrick’s eyes were soft and adoring, and all David wanted was to keep seeing that look every day for the rest of his life.

David smiled, bringing his hand to Patrick’s jaw and stroking it lightly with his thumb. “You’ve given me everything too. Things I never used to know I wanted or needed to be happy. Stability. Commitment. Accountability for the things that I do, and forgiveness when I mess them up. Sometimes I think about how we never would have met if my family hadn’t lost all our money, and it makes me want to send Eli a gift basket from the store. Your love helped me become the best version of myself, instead of a…pale, shallow imitation.”

“I think we could do worse than to keep pushing each other to be the best version of ourselves. It’s been working out pretty great so far.”

“It really has.” They kissed softly, then David turned on his side and clicked the bedside lamp off. It had been a very long and stressful day despite the wonderful outcome, and a good night’s sleep for both of them was definitely in order.

Patrick curled around him, his palm resting gently over David’s heart. It was their own special secret that David liked being the little spoon best. “I love you, David,” he said.

“I love you too,” said David. “Sweet dreams.”

David couldn’t wait to wake up in a world where everyone knew how much they loved each other, and see where that world would lead them next.


End file.
